An 18-year-old British man pleaded guilty on Monday to the murder of three girls and the attempted murder of 10 others during a knife attack at a dance class in Southport, England, last July.
Axel Rudakubana entered the guilty plea on the first day of his trial at Liverpool Crown Court. He admitted to killing Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, while they participated in a Taylor Swift-themed dance and bracelet-making class on July 29.
In addition to the murders, Rudakubana also admitted to attempting to murder 10 individuals, comprising eight children and two adults. Following the attack, police discovered ricin, a lethal toxin, at his home, along with a PDF file titled “Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants: The Al Qaeda Training Manual.” He was subsequently charged with the production of a biological toxin and possessing information likely useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
Reports have surfaced that Rudakubana had been referred multiple times to the government’s counterterrorism program, Prevent, due to his violent tendencies prior to the attack. The Prevent program has not commented on these reports.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed concern over the circumstances leading to the attack, stating that there were “grave questions to answer” regarding the state’s responsibility to protect the victims. He emphasized the need for thorough investigation into the matter.
During the court appearance, Rudakubana, who initially pleaded not guilty, sat silently in the defense dock wearing a gray sweatsuit. He mumbled his guilty plea as charges were read. His defense attorney confirmed that the defendant understood the proceedings and the implications of his plea.
Judge Julian Goose stated that the case would proceed quickly to sentencing, scheduled for Thursday. He indicated that a life sentence would be inevitable.
Ursula Doyle, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the Mersey-Cheshire region, described the attack as "unspeakable" and highlighted Rudakubana's lack of remorse. She expressed relief that his plea would spare the victims' families from reliving the ordeal in a trial.
Authorities have not classified the stabbing as a terrorist attack, as motivation needs to be established for such a designation. Chief Constable Serena Kennedy advised caution regarding speculations on the attacker’s motivations.
Rudakubana, who was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff, Wales, was living in Banks, a village near Southport, at the time of the incident. Following the attack, Britain experienced riots fueled by misinformation about the attacker’s identity, leading to violence against mosques and asylum seeker accommodations.
The unrest resulted in hundreds of charges against individuals involved, with many receiving prison sentences since last summer.